Best medium game round under 300 yards?

[XcountryRider]

When the Hornady SST rounds came out i purchased a couple hundred rounds. I was planning on using it this deer season. All deer taken in camp the last 5 years have been under 100 yards. The blacktails in the Sierras don't come out in the day and are usually taken when they pop up after bedding down in the buck brush. So i don't need a long range performer past 300 yards. Looking at 140gr Berger bullet i'm thinking it would be better for shots under 300 yards. At 300 yards the 123gr SST has a Hornady HITS score of 659 and the 140gr Berger VLD Hunting has a HITS score of 795. At a 100 yards the Berger is at 884 and the 123SST is at 759. Thoughts?

[bwaites]

When the Hornady SST rounds came out i purchased a couple hundred rounds. I was planning on using it this deer season. All deer taken in camp the 5 years have been under 100 yards. The blacktails in the Sierras don't come out in the day and are usually taken when they pop up after bedding down in the buck brush. So i don't need a long range performer past 300 yards. Looking at 140gr Berger bullet i'm thinking it would be better for shots under 300 yards. At 300 yards the 123gr SST has a Hornady HITS score of 659 and the 140gr Berger VLD Hunting has a HITS score of 795. At a 100 yards the Berger is at 884 and the 123SST is at 759. Thoughts?

How fast is that Berger starting at?

[XcountryRider]

How fast is that Berger starting at?

140gr Berger Match VLD Hunting .612 BC 2315fps mv

[XcountryRider]

Tasty cool aid.

[video=youtube;pDoTOoCR2_A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDoTOoCR2_A[/video]

[XcountryRider]

At 300 yards the Berger 140gr has a -10.7 inch drop and the Hornady 123gr SST has a -8.4 in drop. Both with a 200 yard zero.

[Whelenon]

Are the 140 grainers compatible with the typical twist rates found in the Grendels?

[JASmith]

I would take a closer look at the discussions about the 123 gr SST.

For example the thread "123 SST hunting results update" has significant results on deer that aren't far different from California deer:

The buck I shot weighed 189 lbs. The does range in weight from 80 to 130 or so lbs. I'd say the average doe weight was around 115 or so. 4 deer were shot with my 20" and 4 with my 16."

[XcountryRider]

Are the 140 grainers compatible with the typical twist rates found in the Grendels?

1/8 and faster twist rate.

[KentuckyBuddha]

Wouldn't 1/8 be fine for 20" and maybe not quite enough for for 16"... and maybe even 1/9 might be enough for some even as short as 20" and certainly longer barrels might stabilize enough at the slower twist when it comes to 140 grain pills? The extremely low drag in those big bullets made me do a whole lot of hand wringing about what I want. I might be off base. : shrug :

[babaganoush]

Wouldn't 1/8 be fine for 20" and maybe not quite enough for for 16"... and maybe even 1/9 might be enough for some even as short as 20" and certainly longer barrels might stabilize enough at the slower twist when it comes to 140 grain pills? The extremely low drag in those big bullets made me do a whole lot of hand wringing about what I want. I might be off base. : shrug :

KB - The twist rate really has nothing to do with the barrel length. Rather, it has to do with the Bullet Length, in proportion to its diameter. The essentials are that, for a given bore, heavier bullets are longer and, as a result, need a greater twist rate to stabilize them. It has nothing to do with the distance or time spent going down the tube (barrel length), but has everything to do with the rotation speed (twist rate). That's why pistols (~3-6" barrels) can typically run around 1:16 twist for those short, stubby .40's and .45's. (They are shorter, compared to their diameter, than most rifle rounds.)

In other words, no matter the barrel length, if you're going to shoot the 140's, you need the faster twist rate in order to ensure they are sufficiently stabilized.

David

[JASmith]

The velocity starts to matter when the twist is slow enough that the bullet becomes marginally stable.

The shorter barrels yield slower muzzle velocities for the same ammunition.

That might be why it looks like Alexander Arms uses a slightly faster twist for their shorter barrels.

[babaganoush]

The velocity starts to matter when the twist is slow enough that the bullet becomes marginally stable.

The shorter barrels yield slower muzzle velocities for the same ammunition.

That might be why it looks like Alexander Arms uses a slightly faster twist for their shorter barrels.

True - I should have stated that the RPM is what stabilizes the bullet, but was trying to keep the discussion fairly simple. Forgive me for oversimplifying it.

David

[XcountryRider]

I'm using a 18in AR Stoner barrel with a 1/8 twist.

[KentuckyBuddha]

I'm using a 18in AR Stoner barrel with a 1/8 twist.

Considering you have a 1/8 and it is 18", I would definitely give it a try. Why not? What is the worst that can happen? You try a commonly successful powder, and run a few, if they make a group like Berry Gordy, do a dance. If not, you sell the remaining pills to any number of grateful folk on here who would love to have the pills. : )

[hm2 clark]

I have not hunted western blacktails;but I have shot a score of Southern whitetails and a couple hundred hogs with the Grendel. 18 inch barrel, mostly nothing <30yards or >250 yards. 140gr pointed soft point vs 129/130 gr plastic tipped bullets. Excluding head shots, the 130gr just worked better. 130gr scirrroco-accutips penetrated farther in end to end shots; more bang thump and less bang blood trail. Also less noticable recoil with the lighter bullets. I found 120gr psp work about as well on game as the 140grain pills. Hope that helps.

[KentuckyBuddha]

Thanks Clark....DRT is the beginning and the end of what I am interested in when it comes to hunting rounds. Your post/experience is valuable to me.

[XcountryRider]

I have not hunted western blacktails;but I have shot a score of Southern whitetails and a couple hundred hogs with the Grendel. 18 inch barrel, mostly nothing <30yards or >250 yards. 140gr pointed soft point vs 129/130 gr plastic tipped bullets. Excluding head shots, the 130gr just worked better. 130gr scirrroco-accutips penetrated farther in end to end shots; more bang thump and less bang blood trail. Also less noticable recoil with the lighter bullets. I found 120gr psp work about as well on game as the 140grain pills. Hope that helps.

Thanks for the info. I'm wondering how the Berger 140gr compares to those 140gr soft points? What do you think of the Nosler 140gr ballistic tip hunter? I have
a box of them but i don't see any recipes.

[XcountryRider]

A couple picks of Hornady SST 123 gr and the Nosler 140gr ballistic tip. I'd like to try and load this one once i get the rest of my reloading kit.

[hm2 clark]

It's been a while since I loaded up 140gr NBTs in a Grendel. They take up a LOT of room in the case, leaving little room for powder. I have used them in in my 6.5 mauser and with stunning effect. In the grendel they were accurate (<1 inch) with BLC (2) and 4895. If memory serves I used compressed loads with out pressure signs, but they shot maybe 4-5 inches below the 120grain point of impact at 100 yards. I was afraid they would bounce off a hog when shot from the grendel, so I moved down to the 120 gr. All I need to hunt with is a SD of around .250

[XcountryRider]

Here's a 140gr nosler, 129gr interbond, a 123gr SST and 95gr Vmax.